Davidson Auctions

Selling FAQs

Requesting an appraisal:

We invite you to contact us for an appraisal of any items you are considering selling. There is no fee or obligation involved. Please submit appraisal requests via our online appraisal form or by emailing mail@davidsonauctions.com.au. We also offer appraisals in our rooms, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 am – 3 pm. Please call ahead to make an appointment.

Consigning your goods to us:

Should you decide to consign your item/s to us we will provide you with an initial receipt listing basic details. A formal receipt/consignment agreement will then be provided by email once the goods have been catalogued and entered into our operating system. This agreement is our contract with you and will list important details such as auction estimates, reserves (if applicable), and our commission rate.

Our standard Vendor (seller’s) Commission rate is 22% of the first $500 hammer price (incl. GST), and 16.5% (incl. GST) thereafter. Unlike other Auction houses, all administration, handling and photography (by our in-house professional) costs are incorporated into our seller’s commission rate; and not charged to the client.  Our seller’s commission rate is calculated as a percentage of the hammer price of each item and is therefore payable only if the item is sold.

In some instances, the consignment may include one-off fees associated with a third party – e.g. cartage costs, restoration, customs clearance or resale royalty payable to the artist or their estate (please see resale royalty section below). Vendors will be advised prior to any charges being incurred.

Reserves:

For items not formally reserved, the auctioneer will apply some discretion in the sale, generally looking to achieve within one standard bid (approximately 10%) of the quoted low range estimate.

Formal reserves can be set at or below the low range estimate. Your item will not be sold for less than this price at auction.

Pre-Sale notification:

Once your item has been allocated to a sale, you will receive a ‘pre-sale notification’ by email, in the week/s prior to the sale. This will advise you of the lot number/s, and confirm estimates, reserves (if any), and our commission rate.

Post-Sale notification:

In the days following the sale, you will receive your ‘Results of Sale’ notification by email.

This is a preliminary advice giving the results of the sale. Our commission and any applicable charges (such as freight/restoration/resale royalty) will not yet have been applied.

A full settlement statement showing deductions will be sent with your payment as per our standard payment terms.

Settlement:

As per our terms and conditions, proceeds of the sale of your item/s will be paid within 31 days after the completion of the auction, subject to payment having been made by the purchaser. Generally, we pay our vendors within 2-3 weeks post-auction. Payments are made by bank transfer, or by cheque if you prefer.

As long-term members of the Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia, client money are held in a separate vendor account subject to annual audit. As such, you can sell with Davidson Auctions with confidence.

Resale Royalty:

For resales of artworks whereby the hammer price is over $1,000.00, as per Australian
Resale Royalty legislation works acquired after 9th June 2010 are liable for a resale royalty payment of 5% of the achieved hammer price when sold. This payment, where stipulated & required, will be deducted from vendor proceeds of sale and paid to the appointed government approved collection
agency. (For explanation & further details of legislation refer to www.resaleroyalty.org.au).

Withdrawal fee:

A withdrawal fee may be charged in the event you decide to withdraw any item/s prior to the sale, but after our cataloguing and photography have taken place - ie: an amount to cover our out of pocket expenses, should you decide not to proceed with the sale. This fee is at the discretion of the auctioneer.

Delivery of goods:

We are located ten minutes from Sydney’s CBD with easy parking and rear lane access.

Should you be unable to deliver the item/s in person, Davidson Auctions can recommend carriers to collect and deliver goods to our rooms in Annandale. This is at the vendors expense, however, if requested, their costs can be deducted from sale proceeds.

Unsold items:

Should your item go unsold, Davidson Auctions will advise of any post-sale offers. Failing this, we will be in touch in the weeks following the auction advising suggested revised estimates for a subsequent sale. We do invariably find new homes for 80% or more of the items and artworks entrusted to us for sale.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact us, we are always happy to answer any queries you may have.